Lawn-mower.



G. GERRITZ.

LAWN MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1912.

1,048,404. Patented Dec.24,1912.

WITNESSES INVENTOR M A flea/ye fierri/z g6 MJ UNTE GEORGE GERRITZ, 0FLITTLE FALLS, MINNESOTA.

LAWN-MOWER.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Gnnm'rz, a citizen of the United States,residing at Little Falls, in the county of Morrison and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lawn mowers of that class having areciprocating cutter bar operated in conjunction with guard fingers, andits object is to provide in a machine of this kind improved means fordriving the cutter bar, and also to provide improved means for adjustingthe height of the cutting end of the machine.

The invention also has for its object to provide a vertically'adjustablereel.

With these objects in View, the invention consists in a novelcombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described andclaimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, and Fig. 2 a frontelevation of the machine.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the frame of the machinecomprises side plates 5 connected at the rear, and supporting the axle 6of the drive wheels 7. A pawl-andratchet connection is provided betweenthe axle and the drive wheels, so that the machine may be run backwardwithout actuating the cutting mechanism. This connection is common inlawn mowers, and as nothing is claimed with respect thereto, it has notbeen illustrated. The front end of the frame supports a finger bar 8carrying guard fingers 9 arranged in the ordinary manner. Areciprocating cutter bar 10 operates in conjunction with the guardfingers.

The following means are provided for driving the cutter bar 10: ()n oneend of the axle 6 is fastened a bevel gear 11 which is in mesh with abevel pinion 12 fast on a shaft 13 supported in bearings 14 mounted onthe adjacent side plate 5. On the shaft 13 is fast a wrist wheel 15, thewrist 16 of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27, 1912.

Patented Dec. 24:, 1912.

Serial No. 706,249.

which latter carries a roller 17 which works in a fork 18 at one end ofa lever 19 fulcrumed intermediate its ends, at 20, 011 a bracket 21.carried by the side plate. The other end of the lever is connected toone end of the cutter bar 10.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the machine is in motionthe shaft 13 is rotated, which motion is communicated to the cutter barthrough the wrist wheel 15 and the lever 19. The front end of themachine also carries a reel 22 which is driven by a chain 23 from asprocket wheel 24 on the axle 6. The shaft 25 of the reel is supportedin bearing brackets 26 mounted on the side plates 5. The brackets aresecured by bolts 27, a number of bolt holes 28 being provided so thatthe brackets may be raised or lowered to effect a correspondingadjustment of the reel.

The following means are provided for raising or'lowering the front endof the machine: To each side plate 5 is fastened a shoe 29 which extendsforward beneath the guard fingers at the ends of the finger bar, and hasits forward end shaped to seat in a recess 30 in said guard finger. Therear end of the shoe has an upward extension which is bolted to the sideplate, a number of bolt holes 31 being provided so that the shoe may beraised or lowered. Upon lowering the shoes the front end of the machineis raised for a high cut. If it is desired to cut low, the shoes areplaced higher up, whereby the front end of the machine is lowered. Tothe rear end of the frame of the machine is connected an operatinghandle 32.

By the structure herein described an easy running machine is had, andalso one which can be easily operated, and readily adjusted to out highor low.

I claim:

In a lawn mower, a wheeled frame, a cutter bar, a finger bar, guardfingers carried by the finger bar, and shoes extending beneath the guardfingers at the ends of the finger bar, said guard fingers havingrecesses at their forward ends, and the corresponding ends of the shoesseating in said recesses, the rear ends of the shoes having In testimonywhereof I aifix my signature upward extensions which are fastened to thein presence of two witnesses.

wheeled frame, said upward extensions hav- GEORGE GERRITZ ing aplurality of bolt holes to provide an adjust-able connection between thesame and Witnesses:

the wheeled frame to raise and lower the JOHN VVITZEL,

finger bar. J ULIUS W. BERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

